Tracheal tubes and methods related thereto

Abstract

Tracheal tubes capable of delivering local anesthetic to a patient during or after intubation, and methods for making and using the same are described herein.

1 . A tracheal tube comprising:
 a tube having longitudinally extending grooves on an exterior surface of the tube, each of the longitudinally extending grooves terminating in a closed end;   a semipermeable membrane enclosing the longitudinally extending grooves.   
     
     
         2 . The tracheal tube of  claim 1 , wherein the semipermeable membrane has a molecular weight cut-off of about 100 Da to about 1500 Da. 
     
     
         3 . The tracheal tube of  claim 1 , further comprising a proximal well enclosing a proximal end of each of the longitudinally extending grooves. 
     
     
         4 . The tracheal tube of  claim 3 , wherein the proximal well contains a medicament. 
     
     
         5 . The tracheal tube of  claim 2 , wherein the semipermeable membrane has a sieving coefficient of about 0.6 to about 0.7 for the medicament. 
     
     
         6 . The tracheal tube of  claim 3 , further comprising a port positioned to allow access to the proximal well. 
     
     
         7 . The tracheal tube of  claim 1 , further comprising a cuff. 
     
     
         8 . A tracheal tube comprising:
 a tube having longitudinally extending grooves on an exterior surface of the tube, each of the longitudinally extending grooves terminating in a closed end;   mircotubules having a plurality of holes fitted within each of the longitudinally extending grooves.   
     
     
         9 . The tracheal tube of  claim 8 , further comprising a proximal well enclosing a proximal end of each of the microtubules. 
     
     
         10 . The tracheal tube of  claim 9 , wherein the proximal well contains a medicament. 
     
     
         11 . The tracheal tube of  claim 9 , further comprising a port positioned to allow access to the proximal well. 
     
     
         12 . The tracheal tube of  claim 8 , further comprising a cuff. 
     
     
         13 . The tracheal tube of  claim 8 , wherein the holes are sized to cause nebulization of a medicament in the microtubules.